PIGEON FORGE - The hundreds of people lined up at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge to receive their last Dollywood Foundation checks on Thursday got a surprise.

Instead of the $1,000 "My People Fund" check they had received each of the last five months, the checks were for $5,000 Thursday.

"We had a surplus with the money we raised and have been talking about doing this for the last couple weeks," said David Dotson, president of the Dollywood Foundation. "We talked about the best route we wanted to take to properly distribute the funds that we had remaining."

Dotson added that 875 Gatlinburg-area residents have received checks. The $5,000 they received Thursday, combined with the $1,000 checks received over five months, means that each resident got $10,000 from the My People Fund.

The funds were available only to residents, both homeowners and renters, who lost their primary residence in the fire.

"I just don't know what we would have done without this Dolly fund," said Amanda Green, through tears after receiving her $5,000 check. "I am so blessed right now. I'm still in shock."

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The hundreds of people lined up to receive their last Dollywood Foundation checks on Thursday got a surprise.
Steve Ahillen/News Sentinel

Dotson said around $8.5 million has been distributed through the fund, including the checks that went out Thursday. There is still a surplus. Although Dotson said he would not disclose how much the surplus is, previous reports had put the total raised at over $11 million, which would mean a surplus of at least $2.5 million. What will be done with that money will be announced at a Friday morning press conference at which Parton will make several other announcements.

More than $9 million was raised at a telethon hosted by Dolly Parton and including many country music performers.

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In addition to their My People check some recipients Thursday at LeConte Center received stars from a New York elementary school with messages on back.(Photo11: Steve Ahillen /Knoxville News Sentinel)

Hundreds were lined up at the LeConte Center on Thursday waiting for the doors to open at 9 a.m.

"Could you imagine all of these people here homeless?" asked John Green, waving an arm at the long line. "That's what would have occurred without this money."

Jennifer Keylor was with a group in the front of the line.

"If it wasn't for this money, we would be struggling a lot more," she said.

Patricia Oyuela, left, is comforted by Ed Berkley, as they describe their evacuations from Gatlinburg during the fire on Monday evening. Both are staying at the Pigeon Forge hotel Arbors at Island Landing, free of charge, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2016. AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENT

The wildfire-scarred Chimney Tops is pictured Dec. 2, 2016, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Officials say the fire that has killed 14 people and destroyed more than 2,400 structures started here on Nov. 23. Paul Efird/News Sentinel

U.S. Forest Service firefighters Cash Jessop, left, and Brandon Allen extinguish a pocket of fire Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in the Twin Creeks area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Paul Efird/News Sentinel

Traveling chaplain Roger Piggott center, prays with some residents outside the Rocky Top Sports World on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Piggott traveled from North Carolina to minister to those effected by the wild fires in Gatlinburg. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Richard T. Ramsey and Sue Ramsey hold hands while looking at the skyline from the remains of their house of 41 years, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. They safely evacuated from their home as fire approached Monday evening. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Resident Blanca Paz-Mejia returned to check on her apartment which was a total loss along Cherokee Orchard Rd. in the city of Gatlinburg after wildfires in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tenn. earlier in the week, Friday, Dec. 2, 2016. AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENT

Chris & Trina Rial look over to where a neighbor died as they retrieved some of their belongings from their room at Travelers on US321 in Gatlinburg on Friday, Dec. 2, 2016 following the devastating fires on Monday night. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

The home known to visitors as The Castle from downtown Gatlinburg on Friday, Dec. 2, 2016 after residents were allowed back in following the devastating fires on Monday night. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Roaring Fork Baptist Church congregants raise their hands together in praise during a Sunday morning service at Camp Smoky in Sevierville on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016. Roaring Fork Baptist Church was destroyed in the fire that swept through Gatlinburg on Monday night. BRIANNA PACIORKA/NEWS SENTINEL

National Park Service firefighter Jeff Singer, from the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, hikes up the Rainbow Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

U.S. Forest Service firefighter Chad Heck, from the Colville National Forest in Washington state, hikes up the Rainbow Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tenn., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Lelin Romero feeds her three-month-old son Ethan, in the family's van as they visit the remains of their home for the first time, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The family evacuated from their rental cabin before it was completely destroyed in last Monday's fires. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Allan Rivera holds onto his son Nathan, 23 months, as he looks at the remains of their home for the first time, Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The family evacuated from their rental cabin before it was completely destroyed in last Monday’s fires. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean

Glenn Stocks digs through the rubble of his family's bed and breakfast, Tudor Inn, on Dec. 8, 2016, on West Holly Ridge Road in Gatlinburg. The home was destroyed in the November wildfires. CAITIE MCMEKIN / NEWS SENTINEL

Lauren Sims, 7, and her brother Ethan, 5, of Lake City, S.C. stand with their mother Christina looking over Gatlinburg from the space Needle Friday Dec. 9, 2016. Gatlinburg re-opened to the public today after wildfires damaged the city early last week. CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL

Gatlinburg is visible from the Space Needle Friday Dec. 9, 2016. Gatlinburg re-opened to the public today after wildfires damaged the city early last week. Damaged structures are visible on the mountain. CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL

Members of one of the Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief Team chainsaw crews pray together before they start working at a home during the wildfire cleanup efforts in Gatlinburg Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016. Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

The Gatlinburg home of David Loveland, which was spared from the wildfire Wednesday, December 14, 2016. Loveland has spent 10 years fireproofing his home. Twenty homes in his Gatlinburg neighborhood burned to the ground.
AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL

The chimney of a cabin is pictured the Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The cabin remnants along the trail are from the 1920s and were judged not old enough to merit saving for historic value. The valley here once held more than 200 residences including small farms with apple orchids and planted fields, according to Brad Free, a Park Service ranger. Paul Efird/News Sentinel

The Chimney Tops trail is closed due to wildfire damage on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Chimney Tops was the starting point of a wildfire on Nov. 23 that eventually raced through 17,000 acres, killed 14 people, and damaged or destroyed more than 2,400 structures.
Paul Efird, Paul Efird/News Sentinel

Destroyed structures are pictured along Cherokee Orchard Road on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016, in Gatlinburg. The wildfires killed 12 people. One more died of a heart attack and another in a vehicle accident fleeing the blaze. A total of 191 were treated for injuries suffered. More than 2,460 structures were damaged or destroyed. Paul Efird/News Sentinel

Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner stands among the ruins of his home of more than 20 years atop Greystone Heights Road on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016, in downtown Gatlinburg. Amy Smotherman Burgess / News Sentinel

The ruins of the home of Gatlinburg mayor Mike Werner, where he and his family lived for over twenty years, atop Greystone Heights Road in downtown Gatlinburg Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL